


A Bat's Worth

by Bunnylover94



Series: The Glorious Heroics of the Justice League [1]
Category: Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons), Superman: The Animated Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 17:05:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19155334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bunnylover94/pseuds/Bunnylover94
Summary: Batman has to battle out the opioid crisis in Gotham City. He has to eradicate the deadly drug, before it takes more innocent lives. So when the League finally calls him up and wants him to drop what he's doing in Gotham City to help them, he is far from gracious. John Stewart doesn't take his refusal lightly. Batman simply answers with an abrupt hang-up. He heads back to his Bat-Cave and is provided some blunt and sassy advice from the one and only Alfred Pennyworth.Now, the ball is in Batman's court. Will he help the League or simply stay to defend his city?Features all of the key players: the original seven members.





	A Bat's Worth

**Author's Note:**

> This has a unique take on the early days of the Justice League. It tests out whether or not Batman is willing to keep his word to the League, even when his city is at risk. I also wanted to introduce these characters to each other and give them all a chance to react and develop into what was showcased on T.V.  
> A/N: I own nothing related to these DC characters or the rights to any of the animated T.V. series.  
> Enjoy!

A Bat’s Worth

             Batman landed on the rooftop in a soundless landing. The man startled and then threw a weak punch to his shoulder, which the Batman dodged. Batman simply disorientated the man with a swift round of punches. The low-life crumbled beneath his gloved fists; although this one was not much of a match. He slowly rose to his full height. Batman’s shadow loomed over the quaking criminal. His shadow soon blanketed the lit rooftop. The moon was obscured by the smog and light pollution of the Gotham City.

            “Where are those opioids shipped from?” demanded Batman.

            “I don’t know where the drugs come from. I just deliver them,” stammered out the crony.

            Batman’s eye slits narrowed, a grim dimming white light. Darkness hovered over the cowering criminal.

            The cowering criminal’s name was Joseph Watson. A man in his mid-50s who had to support his child who had just lost their job, raise his three grandkids, and help pay his wife’s stage 4 breast cancer chemo treatments. He had lived in Gotham all his life and had never dipped his toes into criminal activity; until he was fired from his job, due to budget cuts at the chemical plant. Batman did feel empathy for the man’s situation, but Joseph _did_ play a hand in ruining multiple lives.

             “No, Joseph, you know exactly where they come from,” he growled.

             His words were menacing and cold as the Gotham night air. Mercy was not a part of Gotham’s DNA. And it wasn’t his trademark move. Or at least, the Batman never expressed mercy in the ways the public liked. He wasn’t Superman. He didn’t plead and work to help his enemies like Barry had. Or like his nephew currently did.

             He loathed those who wanted to bring more crime and corruption into his city. He was the obstacle they would stumble and break like a car upon solid stone. All criminals bent, broke or begged him for mercy in the end.

             “I can’t. I could lose my job,” whimpered the man.

             He pulled Joseph off the ground and then swung him hanging over the ledge of the building. Joseph began convulsing and hyperventilating, and then his grip tightened on Batman’s forearm.

             “I get them from Arkham, alright. There’s an agreement between some of the doctors and various mobsters and their lieutenants,” revealed Joseph.

             Batman’s eyes narrowed.

             “That’s all I know, honest,” he said.

             Batman loosened his grip. Joseph shrieked in frightened protest.

             “My arm’s getting tired, Joseph,” he chided in a clipped, icy tone.

             “Dr. Monroe, Black Mask, the Maronis, Dr. Spruce, Tony Zucco, the Falcones, Dr. Smith and Dr. Valentine,” he listed.

             Batman tightened his hold and then yanked him back on the rooftop. He dropped Joseph on the ground. Joseph landed on his leg and twisted his ankle momentarily. He groaned and rubbed his ankle in slow, precise circles.

             Batman backed up and reached into his cape. He revealed a thick black cable cord-like rope that he then tossed at Joseph. The powerful black cable wrapped around Joseph’s arms and trapped him in a bone-breaking embrace. Joseph wheezed out a stream of strangled chokes.

             Batman turned away from the man. He sent out an anonymous message out to the precinct Commissioner Gordon worked at about what Joseph had told him. Between him and the Gotham City Police Department, they would lower the opioid supply in the Gotham slums. He would prevent more casualties from those drugs.

             Batman jumped off the other side of rooftop. He then pulled out his grappling gun and swung down to the ground where litter and his car were parked. He pressed a button and his windshield slid open. He hopped into his car and sped off as his windshield closed.

             The screen in the Batmobile flickered. His eye slits narrowed. He glared at the illuminous screen. He hated being bothered when he was working to defend Gotham.

             This new team wouldn’t last.

             The Justice League was full of opportunistic and idealistic strangers who wanted to make the world a better and safer place. Full of mysterious or idiotic (sometimes both) aliens, a Princess who happened to also be a demi-goddess, a Lantern, and that young, talkative, annoying speedster from Central City. It was a fool’s paradise. Clark’s brain child was a neat idea, but in reality, harder to maintain. Especially with the combination of those personalities. And he knew if he started showing up to more Justice League get-to-togethers, then he would

             He was supposed to be a part-timer.

             Besides, hadn’t he said it all?

             “ _If you ever need help, you will call me._ ”

             He mainly extended that olive branch to Clark, because of their often-antagonistic past. He wasn’t really one to apologize for things he didn’t feel the need to give one. Clark had the potential to eradicate the planet, and he needed a failsafe. So, he always kept kyptonite on his person. And _that_ wasn’t paranoia, that was just being well-prepared.

            Although, he could practically hear his internal Alfred arguing the exact opposite.

            **_You_** _Master Bruce paranoid? That’s like saying the sky is blue, for Heaven’s sake._

             Bruce shook his head.

             What did they really need him for?

             He tapped the screen to answer.

             “What,” he barked.

             “Well, hello to you, too,” sassed the arm-crossing Kryptonian.

             Behind him, stood all the Justice League. John Stewart with his steely blazing green eyes. J’onn’s patient expression deepened into a begrudging acceptance, as if he knew what Batman was about to say. The Martian probably had read his mind. Hawk Girl’s sharp gaze peered at him as she nodded at him in greeting. The Princess provided a diplomatic smile. Clark looked expectantly at him. The Flash was sipping a chocolate shake with whipped cream and cherries out of giant, bendy straw.  

             “I have work to do,” he countered.

             The implied snide additional comments, _unlike some people_ and _shouldn’t you get back to work_ , was hovering between them. He also had no patience to help them with any minor situation while he was attempting to shut down a massive influx of dangerous drugs.

             “Sorry for interrupting your brooding hour, Bats, but we really need your help,” interjected Flash.

             Batman’s expression darkened.

             Flash raised his hands up in surrender and his drink dripped down his forearm.

             “Look, I get Gotham is a crazy town, but I’m sure your city can survive for one night,” reasoned Clark.

             “Besides we have bigger problems than clowns,” added John.

             “Wait, I thought there was only one crazy clown guy. So, there’s like a eviler twin?” asked a confused Flash.

             Technically, there were Joker henchmen who sometimes dressed in clown attire, and then Harley Quinn. But Batman didn’t feel like giving an impromptu class on his city and all the citizens who posed a threat to it.

             John sent a glare Flash’s way.

            Flash’s mask eyes widened in innocent confusion.

            “What? It’s a simple question,” he said in a defensive tone.

           John sighed, “We have a solar problem, in which-”

           “You can handle it,” refuted Batman.

           John frowned. “Maybe if you let me finish.”

“I’m not available tonight,” Batman growled.

His tone made Clark’s eyes light with concern. J’onn’s eyes glowed with understanding. Flash rubbed his head with a shamed grimace. Diana’s smile morphed into a disappointed frown. Hawk Girl gave him a measured look. John’s eyes darkened and his body glowed emerald in deep frustration.

 “You said call you when we need you. And we need you. So, the least you can do is get off your ass and help us,” ground out John.

Clark’s eyes widened in shock. Diana’s mouth parted as if to interject, but…

Flash gasped, “John said a bad word.”

Hawk Girl raise her hand and smacked him upside his head.

“Ow,” whined Flash.

“Shut up,” she groused.

Batman simply ended the call.

He didn’t have time to deal with their little space dilemma. He had a case to solve. His car skidded down the winding road and burst into the Bat Cave. He leapt out of the car. Alfred was waiting for him by the computer.

“Did you have a wonderful time beating criminals to a pulp, Master Bruce?” he asked.

“Not particularly,” he sighed.

Batman removed his cowl from his face in frustration. Alfred raised an elegant eyebrow in poised curiosity.

“Is something the matter?” asked the ever-loyal butler.

Bruce’s shoulders tensed.

“The League called,” he said.

Alfred eye’s sharpened. “I had no idea Ra’s al Ghul knew your number, sir,” he quipped.

Batman shot his father figure an amused look.

“I assume you turned them down,” surmised Alfred.

“I have work to do,” he deadpanned.

Alfred sent him an unimpressed look. “You always have work to do. You can’t always reject your friends’ invitations to go out on hero escapades together.”

“They are not my friends,” Batman disputed.

“My mistake, sir, I simply noticed you all dress up in colorful costumes and punch the daylights out of any morally compromised citizen. And then you all spend copious amounts of time with your rogues’ galleries, instead of finding a suitable life partner. Or would you prefer for Mr. Joker to be your dearly devoted husband? Perhaps, you could ask Superman when he and Mister Luthor intend to have their wedding,” sassed Alfred.

Batman sighed. “You’re right, Alfred.”

“Of course, I am, Master Bruce,” stated Alfred matter-of-factly.

“I don’t know when I’ll be back,” Batman said.

“Don’t worry, I will handle everything. No go and save the world,” ordered Alfred.

Batman smirked and nodded.

He headed over to his teleporter pad. Batman didn’t blink as the blinding light cascaded over him. He heard John’s angry voice as he stepped off the receiver pad. Batman liked he had ordered a soundless teleporter in the Watchtower, so that Clark wouldn’t always hear him coming and going. It also helped he had emptied his mind and his training had kicked in. So hopefully none of the other Leaguers would hear his approach.

“The nerve of that guy telling us he would help and then back out,” ranted John.

“GL, it’s gonna be fine. Maybe he’ll come later,” soothed Flash.

All the other League members sent him varying degrees of doubtful and disappointed looks.

Flash shrugged. “It’s happened, before.”

“Don’t count on it, hotshot,” retorted John.

“I’ve heard Gotham is full of the worst scum bags Earth has to offer,” said Hawk Girl.

Clark sighed, “Honestly, that’s mostly true.”

“I can’t believe Batman went back on his word,” said Diana.

“Yeah, well, get used to it, Princess,” snarked John.

“He was too busy protecting his city. Perhaps we should not have forced his hand,” calmly stated J’onn.

 “So? I have a whole universe to protect. You don’t see me flying out of here to put out forest fires on Runkar,” John argued.

Superman blinked. “You’ve been to Runkar?” asked Clark.

“Of course, I’ve been there. How do you think I willed a Runkarian blaster the other day?” John asked back.

“Oh, cool,” stated Clark.

“I haven’t been to Runkar in ages,” sighed Hawk Girl.

“I’ve heard of Runkar, but I have never been,” said J’onn.

“Is Runkar near Earth?” asked Diana.

“No, it’s about…How far would you say it is, John?” asked Clark.

“Five galaxies away,” John supplicated.

“So, maybe we can all go there,” suggested Flash.

“Maybe someday kid,” John said with a fond smile gracing his lips.

Flash then turned around and tensed as he spotted Batman. The others were still engrossed in their conversation about this unknown planet.

“Uh, Batman’s here,” said Flash.

Clark sighed. Diana shook her head. Hawk Girl groaned. John’s smile dropped into an irritated scowl and rolled his emerald eyes. J’onn even looked annoyed. Flash apparently enjoyed practical jokes; Batman intended to type that tidbit into his computer later.

“Flash, we’re not falling for that again,” John said.

“But-” Flash started.

“If you have time to discuss Runkar, then don’t waste _my_ time,” deadpanned Batman.

Clark whirled around. John eye’s shot to his masked ones. Diana’s face was painted in confusion. J’onn eyes sharpened and his lips turned downward. Hawk Girl looked torn between yelling at him for being late and congratulating him for actually showing up.  Flash was grinning.

“When did you get here?” demanded John.

“Hope we didn’t take you away from your brooding,” said Flash.

"You should have told us you were coming," reprimanded Diana.

"We're glad you're here," greeted Clark.

"Next time, don't leave us in the dark," scolded Hawk Girl. 

"We were worried you wouldn't show," said J'onn.

Batman pointedly ignored all their various questions and commentary. 

“I’m here. Talk,” barked Batman.

Green Lantern opened his mouth to relay the full problem to Batman. Batman’s head spun with the implications and the impending doom of the Sun incoming massive solar burst. And they were running against the clock, they had less than three hours to find a solution.

 

~To Be Continued~


End file.
